Fall nears & the pace increases. Happy harvest!

What a wonderfully warm summer! I hope everyone found time to visit some of our province and County's beautiful beaches. My children and I became regulars at Aylesford Lake Public Beach, including a lot of fun at our annual Canada Day celebrations with County recreation staff.  We also made it to the Harbourville High Tide Festival for the best scallop skewers I've had in my life, I spent an evening as a ghost in the Halls Harbour Ghost Walk (in the role of Lucy Prudence), and we even squeezed in a night of camping at Blomodin. We had a great time at the Kentville Multicultural Festival on August 25th, and especially enjoyed the drummers and the flamenco dancers.  Our Diversity Kings County committee had a booth and challenged people with a spinning wheel and  trivia questions about equity, diversity and inclusion with lots of prizes. Our Diversity and Outreach Specialist Brittany was on hand and did a fantastic job engaging with the crowd and had some great conversations.

The end of August has brought some more official events, including the newly monikered "Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities" board meeting (formerly the UNSM) in Truro, the home municipality of the sitting President, Councillor Geoff Stewart from Colchester County. I have a two year term on this board and will not need to be re-elected in November at our AGM, but we will have a few seats up for grabs and will be welcoming a new president and executive to our talented team. I truly enjoy these meetings and the intricacies of working with the provincial government, as we push for solutions to the important issues facing municipalities- like the outdated and unfair capped assessment program (CAP), rural internet infrastructure, doctor recruitment, the condition of our province's roads, equalization payments, and more.  

On behalf of Mayor Muttart I've been asked to attend a few announcements on August 28th, including one at Luckett Vineyards for the promotion of the Nova Scotia wine industry with Perennia and the Wine Association of Nova Scotia, and another at the Credit Union Complex (aka the Soccer Dome) to announce facility upgrades with the federal and provincial governments. I have a board governance session and regular meeting at Grand View Manor to complete that day-- and all with a baby strapped to my chest!  I am blessed with a good natured little girl to accompany me to all my events until we are able to secure reliable infant care.

Some of my upcoming events include Berwick Gala Days Opening Ceremony and Dessert Contest on August 30th (and many other events over the length of the festival), Waterville Family Day on September 15th, and regular business meetings of Kings Youth Council, Diversity Kings County, Fire Services Advisory Committee, Western Kings Memorial Health Centre Planning and Development Committee, and of course, the multiple sessions of PAC we will have in order to try to complete our new MPS/LUB, plus our regular September Council and Committee of the Whole meetings. Not to mention it's peach and apple harvest on our farm and life becomes a tad hectic until November. To top it off at some point this month I need to find the time to turn 29- wish me luck!

Happy harvest!

My children and I at Harbourville High Tide Festival (ironically the tide was very low)

Canada Day with some of our Recreation Department staff at Aylesford Lake

Diversity Kings County member Violy with baby Azie at the Kentville Multicultural Fair